[Role of otorhinolaryngology in sleep breath disorders's publications].
BACKGROUND
Respiratory sleep disorders represent one of the most multidisciplinary pathologies in medicine today. Many specializations are involved and otorhinolaryngology figures prominently amongst them. Lately there is an impression of a certain lack of interest in coming to grips with these disorders on the part of otorhinolaryngologists.


OBJECTIVE
To attempt to study objectively the level of participation of otorhinolaryngologists in scientific publications on respiratory sleep disorders.


METHODS
Two bibliographic databases were reviewed, one national (Indice Médico Español [the Spanish medical index]) for the years 1997 to 2006, and one international (MEDLINE) for the years 2001 to 2006. The publications of Acta Otorrinolaringológica Española are also reviewed for the period between 2001 and 2006.


RESULTS
Otorhinolaryngology publications rank second in the Spanish medical index with 27 out of 191 (13.56 %) and in MEDLINE they come in third with 919 out of 7011 (12.04 %). The level of collaborations with the participation of otorhinolaryngologists is low: they participate in 2.35 % of all publications with more than one specialization and 3.15 % of the publications presented by otorhinolaryngologists are collaborations. In Acta Otorrinolaringológica Española, respiratory sleep disorders appear infrequently (14/566 [2.47 %]). By countries, Spain comes in eighth in MEDLINE, with 286 publications by all specializations and sixth with 27 publications written by otorhinolaryngologists.


CONCLUSIONS
From the perspective of scientific publications, otorhinolaryngology continues to occupy an important position in terms of the level of participation; however, the level of collaboration with other specializations is low and must be strengthened.
Esteller Moré
Eduardo
E
Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital General de Catalunya, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, España. esteller@abaforum.es
D006801:Humans; D016239:MEDLINE / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010036:Otolaryngology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011643:Publishing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000453:epidemiology*